Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. Youll be able to travel around here with relative ease. The Belize Under-19 Women's National Team (U-19 BWNT) is travelling to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Friday, March 3 to compete in the 2023 Central American Football Union (UNCAF) FIFA Forward Under . Police reforms are most successful when theyre coupled with investments in social services and cross-cutting investments to address some of the root causes like poverty and exclusion that can cause crime in the first place, said Mary Malone, a professor at the University of New Hampshire who has studied policing in Central America. The mission in early December was ostensibly to raid a casa loca, an abandoned home used by gang members. The former vice president has become the Democratic front-runner with primary victories across the country. I wouldnt dare to say that [extortion] has skyrocketed because it has been so high for many years, said Leticia Salomn, a sociologist and researcher with the Documentation Center of Honduras. On average, children living in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are 10 times more likely to be killed than a child who lives in the United States. Share this via Telegram Here is available the most popular Honduras Newspapers list. These are the safest islands: Once you get off the ferry in Utila you have officially entered an alternate reality. The story 6 gang members killed in Honduras prison was published by the Associated Press on 2022-07-04 18:29:24. A quarter of women and girls become pregnant before turning 18the second-highest rate in Latin America. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! As VP Kamala Harris prepares to visit #Honduras for the presidential inauguration, we call for international cooperation and funding to respond to the humanitarian crisis displacing thousands in the country. Those who work in the transportation sector (taxi and bus drivers) are notable targets of gangs, but many are unable to flee for fear of retaliatory violence against themselves and their . Some areas have increased risk. The flavors, spices and. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Following domestic and international criticism, the government backtracked and a week later re-established constitutional free speech guarantees. ; Children and Adolescents - Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. So whilst its gettingsafer, its a slow process. The poverty resulting from all this is what youll have to watch out for. This has a pretty good expat community too. So youll likely escape having to pay war tax (or facing the consequences). You dont know how clean the persons hands are whos been peeling and chopping the, Dont go TOO in on the food when you first arrive, especially if you get ill from food quite easily. At the same time, traveling alone can be stressful, boring, lonely, anddangerous in varying quantities. Gangsplay a big part of life here. Support focuses primarily on reintegration into the labor market, rather than assistance for people who fled seeking international protection. Honduras hasn't specified exactly what the state of emergency would entail, but normally such measures temporarily suspend normal rules regulating arrests and searches; sometime limits on freedom of speech and assembly are implemented as well. Here, you will find safety knowledge and advice for travelling Honduras. The food in Honduras is super tasty. FILE PHOTO: Police raid a house after Honduras' President Xiomara Castro (not pictured) mobilised . The government of Honduras is committed to attracting more tourists. Public buildings, transportation, and information and communication services open to the public are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. We strive to provide the most relevant travel information on the web and always appreciate input from our readers (nicely, please!). Locals drive atcrazy speeds on the highways, there are random toll roads that make the cost high (but if you dont take them, alternative routes are often not paved), and there are animals on the road. Meanwhile, as Guatemalas electoral season heats up ahead of next years presidential election, some candidates have signaled that if elected, they would also implement hardline policies. Is your phone eSIM ready? Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. ThisCentral Americancountry suffers from what many countries in the region have suffered from or are currently battling with namely corruption, gangs,anddrugs. Or gangs attacking Honduran citizens for not paying war tax. Almost 110,000 Hondurans were returned in 2019, mostly from Mexico. Of course, you can book a local tour that can look after your safety during your trip, but make sure your research leaves you feeling absolutely confident in the reliability of the tour you choose. Patrick said the inmates were captured about 7:45 AM in downtown Newton. That said, the development that has taken place has not totally sucked the island dry of its charm. Poor health infrastructure and limited access to sanitation services has contributed to the spread of the virus. Share this via Email They practice "war taxing", which is essentially just demanding money from people. The groups most likely to be internally displaced or leave the country are children subjected to forced gang recruitment, professionals and business owners who face extortion, domestic violence survivors, and LGBT people and members of ethnic minorities who face violence and discrimination. Dont put yourself through that stress. That measure has proved popular among the public in El Salvador, and has resulted in the arrest of more than 56,000 people for alleged gang ties. A study by the National Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) placed the country as the most violent territory in Central America, with a homicide rate of 38.5 per 100,000 inhabitants. Honduras is one of the most important drug trafficking operation centers between South America and Mexico. The measure, part of leftist President Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18, suspends some constitutional rights and allows security forces to detain people who they consider associated with or have committed crimes. Iris Argentina lvarez of the Cerro Escondido peasant cooperative, which has been working to recover land currently owned by a sugar company, was killed and three people were injured during a violent and allegedly illegal eviction in Choluteca in April 2020. A Honduran woman and her children manage to cross the remnants of a bridge destroyed by Hurricane Iota. Hondurass prison population has doubled over the past decade, partly due to a 2013 reform that greatly expanded the use of mandatory pre-trial detention. FILE PHOTO: A member of Honduras' DIPAMPCO (Police Anti Maras and Gangs Against Organised Crime Directorate) stands guard as other DIPAMPCO members frisk people while doing rounds in a low-income neighbourhood, after President Xiomara Castro declared a national security emergency implementing a new plan to combat a rising number of cases of extortion by violent criminal groups operating across the country, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras November 26, 2022. In fact, most people in Honduras have a family member in a gang. In Honduras, steps were taken to demilitarize public security forces and a community policing model was announced, with the hope being that the measures would increase public trust in an institution that has historically been dogged by corruption and infiltrated by the very same organized crime groups it is supposed to combat. That means getting used to gangs, violence, and corruption. An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday for the killing of a Florida man in Jacksonville in 2021, prosecutors said. Gender-based violence in Honduras is also among the highest in the region and has increased during the pandemic. Yery Noel Medina Ulloa of Honduras pleaded guilty . In September, two men shot and killed journalist Luis Alonzo Almendares in Comayagua. This is essentially anunsafecountry. In 2014, the United Nations reported that 95 percent of cases of sexual violence and femicide in Honduras were never even investigated. Wed say only experienced, intrepid travelers should tackle this one alone. CNN Juan Orlando Hernndez, the former president of Honduras, appeared virtually for his initial US court appearance Friday on federal drug trafficking and firearms possession charges.. Enjoy your travels! Schools were closed from March onward due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Honestly? The Newton Police Department has arrested three escaped inmates from Scott County, according to Newton police chief, Randy Patrick. How Gangs Control Honduras - YouTube 0:00 / 11:46 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users. Members include officers from the police, the military, and the Attorneys General Office. The inauguration of Xiomara Castro, elected Hondurass first female president, is scheduled for January 27 with U.S. vice president Kamala Harris, King Felipe VI of Spain and other world leaders slated to attend. 18th Street, also known as Calle 18, Barrio 18, Mara 18, or simply La 18 in Central America, is a multi-ethnic (largely Central American and Mexican) transnational criminal organization that started as a street gang in Los Angeles.It is one of the largest transnational criminal gangs in Los Angeles, with 65,000 members between the United States, Mexico, and Central America and is also allied . . There are alsopassenger ferriesif you want to go totheBay Islands. Disclaimer: Safety conditions change all over the world on a daily basis. via REUTERS. Theyre run by private companies, obviously, and aremore expensivethan public buses. Then there are quite a lot of gang wars as well. But it was not a tremor, nor a tsunami. They face violence from gangs, the national civil police and the military police, members of the public, and their own families, as well as extortion by gangs and discrimination in schools and in the workplace. And if youre visiting as part of a tour, then youre likely to stay safe. Theres a huge problem with single-use plastics in the Earths water and you dont have any assurance whatsoever that your bottles will be properly disposed of, even if youre careful to sort them in the proper bin. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency to fight gang crimes like extortion. Of 25,000 gang members in 2012, nearly a fifth were children, UNICEF estimated. The information present in this safety guide was accurate at the time of writing, however, the world is a changeable place, now more than ever. In September, the OHCHR and IACHR expressed concern regarding the continued spread of the virus in prisons. The Gordon Ramsay Honduras Video Just last week the BBC affiliated chef published a video of Honduras. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. Its better for the environment and ends up being more economical in the long run. Take theBay Islands,for example. As of September 2020, the US had yet to begin deporting any third country nationals to Honduras under the agreement. San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city, not just in Honduras, but in the whole world. Your laptop deserves a proper pack, and we know a good few! Honduran women face daily struggles. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Close, Is Honduras Safe for Travel? For example, theBay Islandsaresaferthan the mainland. Suddenly you find yourself surrounded by backpackers, dive shops, hostels, burger shacks, smoothie stands, and pirate bars. Gang violence is widespread in and around urban areas. But like any war, it isnt just a battle against an enemy, but also for control of the popular narrative in this case, an attempt to counter allegations that the government has not done enough to combat rampant crime. If we didnt have Bukeles example, we could probably look for some control and security responses based on strengthening institutions.. People are frisked in Tegucigalpa on 26 November. A large chunk of thosearrived via cruise ships, however. We are going to eradicate extortion in every corner of our country.. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Namely, being robbed. Share this via LinkedIn This coastal city is more welcoming togringos than other places and features beaches fringed bycoral reefsand theres a lot of new development happening here. Access to health care services was a concern in Honduras prior to the pandemic, particularly for rural and economically marginalized communities. Its a country with a big heart. Classes were broadcast on television, radio, and online, in some cases with assignments sent via Whatsapp. The government neither comprehensively protects the rights of children, including adolescents, nor ensures that they have access to basic services such as education and healthcare, the IACHR reported in 2019. As expected, the video went viral and the local newspapers made sure they put this trusted news source on their front page. Some areas are also safer than others. Honduras became the second country in Central America to declare a state of emergency against gang crimes like extortion. Hondurashas endorsed the World Health OrganizationsSolidarity Call to Action for the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool, an initiative to realize equitable global access to COVID-19 health technologies through pooling of knowledge, intellectual property and data., Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Freedom of Expression, Association, and Assembly, Attacks on Lawyers, Human Rights Defenders, and Environmental Activists, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Violence Against Women, Migrants, Refugees, and Internally Displaced People, Bidens Challenge: Redeeming a US Role for Human Rights, Addressing the Climate Crisis in Times of Pandemic, From Flight Logs to Homeschooling, Human Rights Watch Grapples with Covids Challenges, As Online Gender-Based Violence Booms, Governments Drag Their Feet, The Other Pandemic: Fighting Inequality as We Beat Back Covid, Poverty, Pandemic, Police Violence: Ongoing Crises Demand the US Address Pervasive Racism. By 2020 they want an additional milliontourists annually. It also documented widespread mistreatment of people detained and arrested during the protests. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. Taxis areall over the placein Honduras. It can be a super enriching experience. Here are three reasons the International Rescue Committees Emergency Watchlist ranks Honduras among 20 countries most at risk of worsening humanitarian crisis in 2022. It is important to know that Utila is very much a developed backpacker hotspot. Honduran soldiers wearing facemasks guard the entrance to the city of San Pedro Sula during the coronavirus crisis on April 17, 2020. Established in 2016 by the government and the Organization of American States (OAS), theMACCIHcontributed to the prosecution of 133 people, including congresspeople and senior officials, 14 of whom faced criminal trials. As world leaders met for the United Nations General Assembly, Latin American presidents expressed various concerns about organized crime. I believe that [Bukeles] leadership is increasing, because the tendency of the Bukele government is to become Central American, and to exercise leadership in all of Central America, said Moreno. Couple that with 470 miles of (mainly) Caribbean coastline, a load of beaches and tropical islands, as well asMayan ruinsand you got yourself adream destination. Although there is a law that provides higher penalties for bias-based crimes, including on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, the Attorney Generals office told Human Rights Watch in September 2020 that no one has been convicted under the law. We get it. Also in February, the OAS special rapporteur on freedom of expression called on Honduras to decriminalize defamation and to properly investigate killings of journalists. As dusk fell, a helicopter hovered menacingly over a dusty football field where several hundred police officers stood in formation, waiting for the clock to strike six and the imposition of a state of exception partially suspending constitutional guarantees in Honduras. People live here with children, by themselves, as couples, some retire here, and some people have even started up their own hostelsor otherbusinesses. Investigations were underway at time of writing. Theres more nature here than you can shake a stick at. Corruption, fear of retribution, and limited access to essential health services . The violence is carried out by local drug trafficking groups, gangs, corrupt security forces and transnational criminal organizations mainly from Mexico and Colombia. Dont drink the water without treating, and steer clear of ice cubes,too. But if you meet the local ladies andlearn about their livesyoure going to have a VERY enriching experience on your hands. Whilst many people DO live here, it doesnt mean Honduras is safe to live. The government relies heavily on the military for public security. Security experts are divided on how much the perception is the result of sensationalist media coverage, a real rise, a little of both or simply the continued expansion of a problem that has metastasized for two decades. For now, there are 15,000 taxis who want your attention. Since June, 2021 the United States has shared 6,088,590 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of Honduras - free of cost. Sexual violence and oppression are frequent tragedies here. Some victims of extortion said that the only thing that has changed is how the money is collected. Wed,03/01/23-8:24AM, 1,088 Reads 16,082 Statewide. In February 2020, it called on El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to protect the rights of migrants and refugees to leave their country of origin, noting that asylum applications from Central America and Mexico grew 50-fold from 2012 to 2018. During the first month of the measures, 39 criminal gangs were destroyed and 652 people were arrested, while 43 kilos of cocaine and thousands of grams and rocks of crack were seized, the police said. To make sure youre having a successful trip, weve listed the safest, and the no-go areas below. We can't put up any longer with workers being killed and paying extortion, Lanza said. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. The measure must still be approved by Congress. Its prettyextreme. In October, the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), of which Cceres was president, complained of continued delays and a lack of transparency in the case. Poverty, violence, and insecurity are the main reasons for the high crime rate. Sat Navs might not always tell you the best route. LGBTpeople in Honduras are frequently the targets of violence and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch research. There have been protests due tocontested election results in late 2017. Independent travel is going to require A LOT of being careful. It pays totravel smartin Honduras like ANYWHERE in the world. President Xiomara Castro, center, with the minister of defense, Jose Manuel Zelaya, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Jos Jorge Fortn, at a military ceremony in Tegucigalpa on 9 December. In certain areas, yes Honduras is safe to travel for families. A law prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting childrentook effect in 2019. But before arriving, the car stopped and the caravan split. February 18 2022 Receive free Honduras updates We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Honduras news every morning. Politicians are manipulated by criminals or other politicians. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. Half of underage pregnancies result from rape. Women, children and the LGBTQ+ community are the ones most affected and we have seen the demand for services skyrocket It is essential to address the root causes of forced migration, a strategy that the current U.S. administration is adopting. Human rights defenders have said they will monitor the measures. There are taxi ranks in a lot of locations. The streets of major cities like Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are gripped by crime and conflict. And what you had, you know, after the coup, while the U.S. did cut assistance, it was very. There are an estimated 115,000 gang members. Bukeles example resonates in societies with a fragile institutional framework and with a tendency towards populism and authoritarianism, said Ismael Moreno, a human rights defender. Dont expect to discover an undeveloped private island. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. To Desafio, the Barrio 18 gang in Honduras was everything. Between the pandemic, ever-worsening cultural division, and a click-hungry media, it can be hard to maintain what is truth and what is sensationalism. You can also visit the island through a guided tour, which will add another layer of safety to your trip. Jesse Watters: Buying mace in Manhattan is almost as hard as getting a gun. Despite recent educational advances, around a third of children aged 3-17 did not attend school in 2018, according to the most recent survey by the National Statistics Institute. And Honduras has been struggling to build representative democracy, to fight corruption and crime. So keep that in mind and have a read of our safety tips for solo female travelers thinking of taking a trip to Honduras. Extortion in the Northern Triangle is predominantly done from prisons, yet prison populations have been on the rise. Honduras Private Sector and Anti-Extortion Police: An Unholy Alliance? We provide cash to help people meet basic needs. Chronic violence, climate crisis and the impacts of COVID-19 have deepened humanitarian needs and driven displacement. These. Thats why we listed the no-go areas in Honduras below. Some are deprived of full legal capacity and are institutionalized in different settings, including psychiatric hospitals. For years, street gangs have charged protection money from bus and taxi drivers and store owners in Honduras, as in neighboring El Salvador. It wont be down to the wire cutting edge info on the most current events, but it is layered in the expertise of veteran travellers. These drug trafficking gangs rule peoples lives. It submitted the case to the court in April 2019 due to Honduras lack of compliance with its recommendations, such as introducing comprehensive policies to map and prevent anti-LGBT violence and designing training programs on anti-LGBT violence for state security bodies. Honduras may sound scary, but if you take into account the advice of locals, plan ahead, and use your common sense,Honduras will open up to you as a solo female traveler. It suspends some Constitutional rights and gives police more powers to arrest and hold suspects. Two private security officers were charged. Even if they graduate high school, they can't get a job." The police chief in Honduras reported 356 fewer homicides between Dec. 6, 2022 and Feb 20, 2023, compared to the period Dec. 6, 2021 to Feb. 20, 2022. Honduras, in general, is open and welcoming to children. Its also a nice place since the ferry toUtilaruns from here, making it easy to escape to the tropical paradise of theBay Islandswhenever you feel like it. Extortion in Latin America continues to bring in fortunes for criminal gangs. Youll need to be a confident traveler. We are going to be covering a whole lot of topics in this epic Honduras safety guide. Honduran people are friendly and welcoming. Share this via Twitter The government had granted him protective measures in January 2019. Here's a list of 14: 1. Do your own research. This rule especially goes at night. In Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, 60 percent of deaths are attributed to organized crime. In March 2020, the government declared a state of emergency in response to the pandemic, imposing a lockdown and restricting movement and freedom of expression. The Supreme Court had upheld Romeros 10-year sentencein January 2020. This perception has grown despite a slight reduction in homicides this year, according to preliminary data, and a significant drop over the past decade since Honduras held the ignominious title of the worlds most violent country. Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. Drug trafficking gangs, corruption, and extreme poverty keep Honduras down. This should not distract, however, from the fact that there are life-threatening problems that residents of Honduras struggle with daily. Roatan is the largest of the Honduras Bay Islands. Dont hitchhike ortake lifts from strangers , Other ways to meet fellow travelers and. There are high levels of crime in Honduras. Weve made it pretty clear that Honduras isnt the safest country. Please donate.
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